Smashed
by Flamethrower100
Summary: Danielle, Stacey and Ronnie are arrested on the night of the reveal.
1. Chapter 1

Smashed

On the night of the reveal, just after Ronnie finds the locket. Danielle gets drunk, returns from the tube station to Ronnie's house and smashes every window….. Stacey finds her and the pair trash the place…

Her mother's harsh words rang in Danielle's ears… "You pathetic little freak…" she felt numb inside… all those foolish dreams of being reunited with Ronnie had all been a ridiculous fantasy. Danielle knew that she had made a terrible mistake. No one believed her now, she would be seen as a laughing stalk, a pathetic looser that no one had any time for.

Why should she leave, she thought to herself. This was her world too. Ronnie would soon realise the truth and then she'd be sorry. Danielle's vicious side came out, she wanted to anger her mother further, to cause her pain, then perhaps Ronnie would realise what it felt like to be hated.

Danielle threw her bag over her shoulders, "Look at me…" she said to the dark night sky, "Crying like a baby….I need to grow up!" she wiped her tears a way fiercely, and marched back across the square.

She wandered back into the Slater's house and grabbed a bottle of vodka…. She opened the lid and began to down it…. It burned her throat at first, but she felt comforted….. Reckless… like she could really hurt someone…… Danielle could hear Stacey throwing up in the toilet up stairs and decided not to bother her friend.

She shut the front door quietly and headed off out into the disserted street again..

Danielle stared up at her mother's home.. It was dark inside, Ronnie hadn't returned yet. Probably she was still over at the vic partying the night away, totally oblivious to Danielle's feelings. She was a heartless evil cow, who disserved to suffer… And as for Archie, Danielle hoped he would choke on his Champaign and drop dead.

"I could die tonight… And none of them would care…" said Danielle to herself sounding defeated, she took another few gulps of vodka, and wiped her mouth on her sleeve "I'll make her pay!" she screamed viciously, "I hate you!" She picked up a rock from the street and hurled it threw one of the windows…. The smash of the glass made her feel better, stronger, just like her mother.

Danielle continued hurling large rocks at the house…. Suddenly she heard a voice, calling to her, the voice sounded baffled…

"Danielle….." called Stacey, rushing towards her friend in high heels and trying not to fall over, "What the ell are you doing…. The ol square can probably hear what your up to! Just leave it aye Dan…. You've made your point!"

Stacy grabbed Danielle's arm firmly, "Leg it… Or the old bill will be on there way soon…"

"Get off me!" screamed Danielle, pulling her hand away and staggering towards Ronnie's door. There was pure anger in her eyes, which was being directed at anyone who came near her… She used one of her rocks to break the glass and then let herself in….

"Alright Dan…." sighed Stacey, following her friend, and pulling the bottle out of her hand… and taking a large swig said, "Lets do this… But mind we're gonna be banged up for a long time after this…. Do you think you can andle it?"

Danielle didn't answer….. She was in no fit state to think about what she was doing let alone care about what would happen later.

It was very quiet when the two drunk girls stumbled into the dark and lonely flat…

Stacey turned on a light, and began drinking from the vodka bottle heavily, "Let's get this party started!" she roared, smiling wickedly, "I'll head to the vodka stores… A slapper like Ronnie has to have drink somewhere…."

Danielle took a rolling pin from one of the kitchen drawers and began to lay into the radio… Stacey ripped the microwave from the wall and threw it on the floor, "Yeh take that!" she slurred drunkenly, and almost tripped over the thing.

But Danielle had lost the plot completely. She began screaming with rage, she took a swing at the TV with her fist and then pushed it to the floor, yelling "Why! Why!… There was blood pouring out of her knuckles and wrist, but she felt nothing…..

Next she went for the pictures on the wall, "There we go mummy dearest!" she laughed manically, "Happy now!" she chucked the photos on to the floor in a pile and then started jumping on them and kicking them across the room.

Stacey came through from the kitchen and laughed, "Dan… what are you on girl….. " but then her expression changed when she saw the red stuff pouring from Danielle's hand and wrist, "Ah…. Jesus Christ Danielle….." stuttered Stacey in a panicked tonne, "What have you done to yourself…. What were you thinking…"

Danielle stopped and slid to the floor clutching her head in her hands…… Her features began to dissolve… She had turned into an animal… Tears poured from her eyes, and she began to notice the horrible throbbing in her hand, blood had soaked into most of the right arm of her yellow cardigan…. She screamed in fear…."Ahhhhhhhhh!" she moaned pathetically..

Stacey ran to her and ripped a bit of material off her skirt to wrap it round the wound which was bleeding terribly badly…..

"It's alright Dan… We'll get out of hear.. And to the hospital…. I should have dragged you home the minute I saw you here…. You really are nuts…" Stacey tried her best to sooth her friend, but Danielle was inconsolable…"Here… drink this…." Stacey poured some more vodka into Danielle's mouth…And bent down next to crying girl…She poured some alcohol on the knuckle wounds, Danielle screamed in pain, "It'll feel better in a minute," Stacey assured her…

Just then Stacey heard a noise and a loud bang…. The door swung open….And three police officers stood before them..

"Well…. Well……well…." said the one which looked like postman pat, "Good party is it girls….." and then he noticed the state of Danielle and his expression changed, "Cathy… call an ambulance…… You girls are in serious trouble! You are both under arrest for breaking and entering, vandalism…. And breach of the peace… You do not have to say anything, anything you do say may be taken as evidence…"

One of the female officers, took Stacey by the arm, "Get off me…" she hissed, "The tart that lives here! Is her mother!" she nodded at the broken Danielle, who was still sobbing in shame…..

"Regardless…. You are under arrest!" snapped the woman who Stacey thought resembled a bulldog, "Get up…. Now!" she pulled Stacey to her feet and handcuffed her.

"Oye watch it will yah!" shouted Stacey, stumbling after her, "Ronnie was looking for er earlier….. Ronnie Mitchell the local prostitute…." added Stacey with a drunken smirk….

The other female officer, went to help Danielle to her feet, she tutted loudly, "Look at the state of you girl… Why on earth did you do such a thing….. Smashing up someone else's home isn't going to make things better for yourself……" she stopped and then asked curiously, "Is this really your mother's place…"

Danielle pursed her lips and nodded, she wiped her eyes with her bloody sleeve and followed the cops out of the flat.. She just wanted to lie down and die, she felt so ashamed of herself…

Ronnie ran for her flat as soon as she noticed the police car….. She had been searching for Danielle for some time now….

"Oh… my…. god!" she uttered in shock, noticing the state of her broken windows……. And then when she saw the police coming out of the house with Stacey Slater and then to her horror Danielle, she almost fainted.

"Danielle!" she screamed, running across the square as fast as she could…. Her child looked dreadful, there was blood all over her. What the hell had happened, "Danielle!"

The police woman practically had to lay Danielle down in the back seat of the car…..

Ronnie ran up to the pavement and then gazed up at her destroyed windows…. She gasped in horror……. Then she felt awful, as she listened to her daughter crying in agony…..

"What do you think you are doing to my daughter!" snarled Ronnie in exasperation, "Isn't anyone going to tell me what's going on here! This is my house!"

"Calm down mam…." Insisted the male police officer, "We'll get your kid to hospital first…. Before we throw the book at her…. She was seen violently throwing bricks through those windows, she is also extremely drunk and disorderly!"

Ronnie ignored the man and glared at Stacey who sat next to her daughter, Danielle was still screaming and hitting out at the woman who was trying to calm her down…

"Get off her!" Ronnie ordered, and the woman stepped back…."Let go of her!"

"Fine…. You see what you can do with her…..Let's hope this pissing ambulance gets here soon….. We're not allowed to drive her you see, not in this state…."

"Then I'll bloody well drive her….. What are you lot, thick or what…… Idiots!" Ronnie turned to her wailing daughter and clasped her bleeding hand, "It's not too bad darling…." she whispered softly… "I'm not angry…. ok…… After what I said to you…. I'm not surprised you wanted to get back at me…. I believe you ok……. I love you, just calm down baby…."

Danielle's breathing became less strained…. Ronnie pushed the car door wide open with her foot and lifted Danielle out into her arms…..

"Hey!" exclaimed one of the officers, "What do you think your doing…. She's under arrest lady…."

Stacey was laughing away to herself, wishing that she had a camera.

"None of your business!" hissed Ronnie, supporting her drunken daughter as best she could, "You're not taking her anywhere, so why don't you all just piss off!" her voice was getting louder, "We don't need your help thanks, my house, my daughter, my problem, so take a running jump aye!"

"Right that's it!" shouted the bulldog lady, "You are under arrest madam…." she pulled Ronnie back and out of her daughter's arms…. And received a smack across the face from the crazy blond, "Don't you dare!" she yelled, as the police officer struggled to get her under control.

"Stop it!" roared the other officer…….. "Get in the car Miss Mitchell this instant…And remain seated……" he lifted Danielle up from the curb… "I'm beginning to see why this poor girl's such a mess…. I will escort her to hospital and bring her back in later…. Oh thank the lord….. there's the ambulance..

Stacey smiled as Ronnie sat next to her, "Arrested aye…. Twice in one year, boy Dan's well lucky to have a mova like you….."

Part 2

Danielle's head lolled as the policeman attempted to help her over to the ambulance…

"Ger off meeee! Just piss off!" screamed Danielle in a distressed voice, trying to free herself from the man…. Stumbling as she did so, "I need ti go home.." she slurred…..

"That's enough now love….. Stop being a silly little fool aye!"

Danielle doubled over and threw up on his shoes…. She then continued to wail.

"Ahhhh sick!" uttered the disgusted looking man, "Come on you!" he ordered dragging Danielle by the arm….

"Don't you dare hurt her!" shouted Ronnie banging loudly on the car windows, "Let me see to her…. I can calm her down!"

She watched as Danielle was half carried into the ambulance, still screaming, louder than ever.

Stacey snorted as the police car pulled out of the street, and in the direction of Walford nick, "You're the one who caused all this in the first place you dumb slappper!"

"That's enough back there!" snapped the bull dog woman, "What's your name anyway girl….."

"Stacey Slater!" replied Stacey in a rude voice, "What de yah want a signed Phota…"

"Well…. Stacey Slater, you and your friend better say your prayers tonight that's all I'm saying, and as for you miss Mitchell, I'm charging you with assault…."

"Assault!" uttered Ronnie in a shocked voice, "What… that little tap? I just wanna see my daughter is that too much to ask!"

"Well you can see her later…" laughed the other police woman, "When we lock you both up together…."

"Yeh.." added the bulldog, "Next time you go out, perhaps you'd better hide the vodka…." she sneered.

Danielle felt worse than she had ever done in her life… They had stitched her up and given her lots of water to drink, but now she was beginning to realise the stupidity of her actions. Her father would find out, and be ashamed of her, Ronnie was probably disgusted with her and would never speak to her again.

She had gotten her own mother arrested, she had embarrassed herself more than she thought possible. And now she was on her way to the police station, where an angry Ronnie and Stacey would be waiting for her.

She had officially hit rock bottom, so this is what it felt like to be a complete looser…. It wasn't enough that she had murdered her own child, she was now a violent criminal.

When she arrived, there was screaming and thundering noises coming from all around her.

She handed over her possessions without question and signed a form handed to her….. Keeping her head down as much as possible. Having never been arrested before, she was deeply afraid of the place…

"Right…. in you go…." said the woman who was escorting her, as she opened up the cell door, "I hope your not afraid of the dark…." she added nastily…… "Because the lights go out very soon…"

Ronnie stirred as soon as she heard the door open….. She had been dozing for hours, unable to fall completely asleep…..

Stacey was propped up in the corner of the cell, snoring loudly….

Danielle heard the door slam behind her and then turned to face Ronnie…. She was expecting her too scream and yell at her and tell her she was worthless….

"Ronnie…" she exclaimed in a frightened childlike voice, without moving….

"Oh… Danielle…." said Ronnie shaking her head, "What have you done to yourself aye….. look at the state you're in…" she whispered softly, "My poor baby…."

Stacey began to stir in her sleep, and muttered something incoherently, "You want some yeh, yeh, you wanna piece.." and then she rolled over and continued to snore…

Danielle glanced at her friend, wanting her to wake up so that she wouldn't have to deal with Ronnie alone, she was too ashamed to face her…

"Come here Danielle and sit down…" said Ronnie firmly, "Now…." she said in a gentler voice.

Danielle did so, but Ronnie could see that the girl was shaking with fear…. She started to whimper again, and then began to cry, more out of exhaustion than anything else.

Ronnie took her daughter's face in her hands, "I'm sorry sweetheart….. Don't worry I'll get you off the charges, we'll be out of here soon, very soon…." she whispered gently stroking her daughter's hair…"No more crying aye…" she hushed…"No more tears…"

Danielle sobbed harder than ever and threw her self into Ronnie's arms, "I'm sorry I smashed your windows…." she wailed bitterly, "You were right I am hopeless freak…"

"No!" insisted Ronnie, rocking her inconsolable daughter, "You stood up for yourself… I disserved what I got, I can buy new windows and doors Danielle but I can't buy a new daughter, don't ever think badly of yourself, no matter what anyone might say…. I should have believed you, instead of that liar of a father of mine…. I swear I'm going to make him pay for what he's done…"

"Can you forgive me….." Ronnie took the two lockets which she had around her neck and pressed them together tightly, "You are my daughter, and I hurt you…..But….. Please… please forgive me…"

Danielle nodded and rested her head on her mother's lap, grasping her hand tightly.

Danielle's sobs became less, she was still shaking but the crying was quieter…. After a while, she said, "I smashed your telly…" in a guilty little voice, like a five year old might after stealing some sweets….

Ronnie laughed slightly at her daughter's guilty tonne, and kissed her cheek "That's ok sweetheart, as long as the microwave's ok…. I just bought that…." she added jokingly….

"No… Stacey wrecked that too…" wailed Danielle, not understanding why her mother was laughing.

"Oh… just go to sleep aye darling…. I'll sort everything out in the morning…. Don't you worry…." whispered Ronnie in a motherly voice, as she kissed her forehead, "You have to rest now…"

Danielle tried to forget everything that happened and fall asleep, but it was a long time before Ronnie felt her daughter's breathing relax…..

Ronnie watched her daughter sleep, her expression looked strained, Danielle's face was smeared with tears, mud and patches of blood, and her hair was matted…. Her clothes were torn and her fingers were badly scraped, she looked like she had been in some sort of fight. God, they could have cleaned her up a bit at the hospital….

"How could I have let her get into this state…." thought Ronnie guiltily to herself, "I've been so awful to her, but I can make things right now…"

She could here shouting and swearing in the near vicinity…. What a place for her sweet baby to be in, she covered the sleeping girl's ears gently and whispered softly, "I love you….…"


	2. Chapter 2

Smashed: Chapter 2

The cell door opened.

"Get lost mum…" groaned Stacey in annoyance, "It ain't time to get up yet…." she licked her lips and opened one eye slowly, "Bloody ell" she exclaimed as she noticed the tall unimpressed looked police officer, standing at the door.

"Oh I ain't your mum love…" sneered the woman, "Breakfast…." she stated coldly dumping a tray of burnt toast and tea on the unoccupied bed, "Then we'll do your interviews…….." she glared at Stacey irritably, "What the beds not good enough for you aye, no bloke to curl up to, I expect that's the problem…." she added with a smirk.

"You suggesting I'm a slapper…." growled Stacey, running her fingers through her greasy hair, "It's not my fault the beds reek of piss…."

Danielle stirred and began to groan…. Ronnie had woken up hours ago and was holding her hand tightly.

"It's not our fault if the prisoners can't control their bladders…." replied the officer, turning and slamming the door behind her.

"Oye!" yelled Stacey fiercely, get up from the floor and rattling on the cell door, "You can't do this, we ain't animals! I have to phone my mum, and I ain't going to the bog in front of the chuckle sister eer!"

"We called your mum last night," came the blank reply, "She'll be here to collect you this morning, and your father Miss Mitchell, he's on his way too…."

Ronnie felt sick at the mention of that poisonous snake Archie, and pursed her lips. She could hear laughing on the other end of cell door. They were presumably taking the piss out of her, the sad washed out 30 something woman who's father had to collect her from the police station.

"They probably spat in it…." said Stacey as she watched Danielle reach for a mug of tea… "Don't drink it Dan… They use water from the bogs to teach people a lesson, my brother told me…."

"I have to drink something…" whined Danielle, bringing the tea to her lips, but as soon as she did so, she regretted it, "Aughhhhhhh!" she moaned and held her stomach… She ran to the toilet and began to throw up violently.

"Charming…" said Stacey screwing up her face in disgust, "Well this is turning out to be a barrel of laughs I must say…." she smoothed down her hair and shot Ronnie a poisonous glance.

Ronnie got up and patted her daughter's back awkwardly, "Are you ok?" she whispered softly.

"Yeh she looks like she's on top of the world…." muttered Stacey sarcastically.

"You'll be ok…" added Ronnie, stroking Danielle's hair, and ignoring Stacey completely.

"No wonder she's being sick…" said Stacey as Danielle started coughing, "Cold flaming tea!" she poured the rest of the mug onto the floor…. And threw it at the wall in a temper. Then sat on the floor with a sour expression plastered across her lips.

"She's being sick cause she drank about a litre of Vodka last night." replied Ronnie, who didn't sound impressed with Stacey. It seemed as though she blamed her daughter's friend for Danielle's inebriated state last night.

"What dyou fink Danielle!" asked Stacey in an angry tonne, "Does miss Ronnie Mitchell have the right to lecture us on our drinking habits! Ain't your whole family either alcoholics or nuttas…"

"Just shut it Stace…" grumbled Danielle, as she wiped her mouth with her sleeve, "Stop talking so loud, my head's killing me…." And then she turned around and started sobbing in the way that in a child might have a temper tantrum, but not quite as loud. She began to massage her temples.

"You heard her…" added Ronnie urgently, attending to Danielle, "Be quiet, Danielle has a sore head…. And so do I…."

Ronnie took her daughter's arm and helped her back to the bed. She wrapped her arms protectively around the girl and pressed her own cheek against Danielle's.

"Are you alright darling….." she asked gently stroking Danielle's arm….

"No…" sobbed her daughter, "I'm the stupidest person alive…" she wailed bitterly.

"No…. Look I can get us out of this…. God I've got Roxy out of worse situations than this, ten times worse… Once she, well there was this police officer and some hand cuffs… Well…. maybe I shouldn't tell you, lets just say it isn't a very pleasant story and not for your ears…" explained Ronnie, smiling back at the memory of her little sister at Danielle's age and younger.

"No it's ok….. I'm sure I've heard worse…" said Danielle softly… She wanted to hear things about her family, her real family, The one that she taken from only hours after her birth. She felt strangely resentful of her adopted family at times, because she felt that they were keeping her from her birth mother. One time at school, a boy had made fun of her for being adopted, it had been the one and only time in her life when she had punched someone in the face. He had said that her mum had given her away because she was a prostitute. It had made Danielle's boil, to hear anything bad said about the mother in the locket, that's what she had always called Ronnie before she knew her real name.

"I doubt it…" laughed her mother, "That girl's done everything….. Some things I'd rather forget about to be honest, what you did last night doesn't even compare to some of the things she's done in the past….."

Danielle smiled and snuggled closer to Ronnie, "She sounds like a laugh…."

"Sometimes…." replied Ronnie, nodding her head in contemplation, and then began in a serious voice "But you see, when I came back from the hospital all those years ago, after I'd had you…….. and dad had gotten you adopted….. Well once I went home the only person who would even look at me was Roxy, she treated me like normal and well after mum left I just started looking after my sister more, Roxy went off the rails after Glenda left, fighting at school, coming on to older boys, I had to protect her, she was only 11 or 12 at the time….. It's a complicated family I'm afraid, probably not the best in the world…"

Danielle looked at her mother's face, she looked sad. It must have been a difficult time for her, having to grow up so quickly.

"But.. It's all in the past," breathed Ronnie steadily, "Will you look at your face girl…." she added, wiping the dirt off of her daughter's face with her thumbs.

Stacey grinned at the embarrassing but touching scene, "What you gonna do next spit on anky like my mum used to do… Yuck… I don't get you Ronnie, it's like she's always been your kid, It's weird…."

"She's been my kid for her whole life…." replied Ronnie honestly, "I know you're not a child anymore Danielle, but you don't mind me mothering you…. do you…. just for a little while," she sighed contently, "Just for a while…"

"You mean it?" questioned Danielle suddenly, clutching at Ronnie's arms, "You always thought about me!" she asked in a desperately hopeful voice.

"Every day…" replied Ronnie, kissing her daughter's forehead, "Everyday of my life…… I always knew things wouldn't work out for me until I found you…."

Part 2

Archie was in a fowl mood. Peggy had left the Vic and was staying with her sister, Roxy had just given him an earful and accused him of breaking into Ronnie's house and destroying all of her photographs, and Phil had been extremely rude to him in front of all the punters. The police had informed him that apparently Danielle and Ronnie had had some sort of argument and that's why the house had been trashed. He was on his way to the station now. He would drag Veronica home kicking and screaming if had to, this was the final straw, his daughter was a disgrace, and so was his poisonous grandchild, the thing that had tainted his little girl.

"Right Mrs Mitchell…" began the bored looking police officer, "We are going to let you and your daughter go for now, but we'll be following up the charges….. you Mitchell's all think your above the law don't yah, well this time you've gone to far…."

"Fine…" stated Ronnie irritably, "I making a complaint about your treatment of us….. derogatory comments made to me, my daughter and her friend, the way your officers manhandled my child last night after she had seriously hurt herself! I could go on for ever love…" she added coyly.

"Make as many complaints as you like… It won't help your case…" barked the woman.

"Oh…" smiled Ronnie, "I don't know about that…"

The police officer scowled and opened the door to the interview room letting Ronnie out.

Ronnie went to the front desk to collect her belongings, no one had noticed that she hadn't handed the lockets the night before.

A few minutes later Stacey and Danielle appeared. Stacey was scowling as usual and Danielle had a sort of lost look on her face, which was drained of all colour.

"Well…" sighed Ronnie, "I'm ready to get the hell out of here… I expect they never bothered to call us a cab, And I am not getting into a car with Archie Mitchell, he makes me sick…"

The three of them walked outside, Stacey noticed her uncle and mother waiting for her and ran over to the car, "Uncle Charlie…" she called, "I'm really, really sorry…"

"Just get in the car…" ordered Charlie in a defeated voice. When was that girl going to grow up, and stop hitting the bottle every night, he thought to himself.

"You two wanna lift…" he asked of Ronnie and Danielle.

"No…. thanks… But we're gonna walk…" replied Ronnie, "Unless you want to…." she turned to her daughter, who was staring blankly ahead, in a zombie like state.

Danielle shrugged and turned to bury her head in Ronnie's shoulder.

"We're fine thanks, it's not far…" added Ronnie, linking arms with her daughter, "Lets go sweet heart….. We'll go to the Vic aye, I can get someone to repair my windows tomorrow.."

Once they were alone, Danielle began to speak, she said in very hollow voice, "I don't want to see him… I don't wanna go anywhere near your dad…"

"Of course you don't…" replied Ronnie soothingly as she led Danielle along, "But he won't be there darling, now everyone knows the truth, he'll be history…"

As soon as the two woman turned the corner, Ronnie realised that she may have spoken too soon… That's when she saw him, her father, standing there bold as brass, with a satisfied expression on his pinched face.

"Hello there V…" he said cheerfully, exiting his car in a confident manner, "I've come to give you a lift home… I guess I'm going to have to look after the pair of you…. You know I didn't now this was going to happen, I apologise if I've done anything to upset you Danielle…"

Ronnie stared at her father in disbelief… She put herself in front of her daughter in very protective way and glared at Archie, "You are unbelievable!" she hissed angrily, "Me and Danielle both hate you!" she spat the last few words, "You disgust us both!"

"Why are you speaking for her!" snarled Archie aggressively, rounding in on his daughter and Grandchild, "She loves her old granddad, don't you sweetheart…. You see she realises why I did what I did, to protect her from having a mother like you! You're a sad pathetic little witch Veronica and soon your little girl will realise the sad truth, that screw up everything you ever touch!"

He clutched Ronnie's hand, "All dried up aye V… She probably just wants you Danielle so that you can have a baby for her….. Did you know that she's barren…"

Ronnie froze, "Get away from me…." she whimpered in a child like voice, not un similar to her daughter's… She clutched on tightly to Danielle, looking for comfort.

Upon hearing these words, Danielle finally snapped back to reality, she had to protect her mother. Her father was a monster, who had treated Ronnie very badly.

"Get away from her!" screamed Danielle, pushing her astonished looking grandfather away, "She's right! I do hate you, You are a liar…." she whacked him on the arm, extremely hard, "And a sad pathetic old man….. Mum doesn't need you, and neither do I!"

"You heard my daughter!" yelled Ronnie, suddenly getting her confidence back, "Get lost… And don't ever show your face round here again!

Archie smiled coldly, "You'll pay for this darling…" he pointed his finger out at both of them and backed away towards his car, "I'll teach you a lesson, after all that's what father's do…. Me and you we'll be together again…."

Author's notes

Thank you for the reviews, I'm glad you liked it…. I will update as soon as I can. And yes I am continuing.


	3. Chapter 3

Smashed Chapter 3

Danielle hesitantly agreed to come back to the Vic, now that she was sure that Archie wouldn't be there, but she was still very quiet as they walked along arm in arm. Ronnie could tell that there was something on her daughter's mind, but she didn't want to push the issue, there had been enough drama over the past 24 hours to last a least until tomorrow, as there was always drama in her life, no matter where she went.

When they arrived back, the pub was closed, "It's so quiet…." Ronnie said nervously, more to herself than to Danielle. They went up stairs to find Roxy frantically dialling on her phone.

"Roxy…" Ronnie announced in order to bring attention to herself, "My house was trashed last night…. Is it ok if me and Danielle stay here for a bit, we'll sleep on the couch…. or something…" she suggested, "Anything would be better than last night's accommodation that's for sure…"

Roxy stared at her sister for a second and then dropped her phone on the table and threw her arms around her, "Oh my god Ronnie! Where the hell were you! I've been going out of my mind with worry! Why didn't you call! Are you ok…."

"I'm perfectly fine…" sighed Ronnie, hugging Roxy back, "But you're crushing me…"

Danielle stood there not quite knowing what to do with herself.

"Oh Danielle…." exclaimed her mother, breaking out of her embrace with Roxy and clasping her child's hand, "You want something to drink… I mean tea… tea or coffee, or something like that…" she continued to babble, "Or something to eat, Roxy can go to the chippy for you… Or I can make you something if you want…"

"No…I need to take a shower… I mean if that's ok…." replied Danielle nervously, Ronnie was beginning to freak her out a little bit, "I can go to Stacey's if you want, I mean if you want some space…"

"No…." insisted Ronnie desperately, "No of course you can stay with me… I am your mother, sad I know, but you'll get used to me eventually…."

"No you won't…." said Roxy with a smirk, "I've known her forever and she's always been crazy.."

"I am not!" said Ronnie in a very high pitched voice…. "Don't you say that to her…. You're the one who's nuts" she added teasingly.

"There's towels in the bathroom cupboard upstairs Danielle," explained Roxy in a kind voice, "And there's panamas and things in my room, just take what you want… You see I'm the kind generous one Danielle.. Don't listen to your mother at all, whatever she might say about me, it ain't true alright…"

Danielle didn't smile, she felt strange, like she wasn't herself anymore, but another girl stepping out of the looking glass. Loving her mother from afar was one thing, but being a part of this whole other family was another, something she desperately wanted, but couldn't understand or feel at the moment, no matter how welcoming her mum and aunt were.

Once Danielle had left the room, Ronnie and Roxy sat down, facing each other on the couch. Ronnie wasn't really in the mood for a heart to heart with her little sister, but she guessed that it couldn't be avoided, and probably shouldn't be.

"Well…" questioned Ronnie, looking clueless, "Where were you…. It's been awful here… Aunty Peg's gone to Sal's, Phil and Ben have gone away on holiday for a few days, visiting some cousin, the pub's closed, Amy didn't sleep at all last night, and dad's staying with Janine of all people!"

Ronnie's face said everything, "Look, everything's gone wrong…" she hissed quietly, encase her daughter should be listening in, "Danielle's a mess, I've been charged with assault and my daughter, she and Stacey, they, they wrecked my house… The police came…" Ronnie continued to rant, "And, and dad he threatened me… And not only that he tried to turn my baby against me!"

"Ron… calm down…" insisted Roxy in a concerned voice, "We can deal with dad right! Best thing to do now is to explain everything to your daughter…"

"Oh god Danielle… I've ruined her life Roxy!" wailed Ronnie, her head in her hands, "This wasn't supposed to happen, we were supposed to be happy when we met again, she's such an angel Roxy, nothing like us, even when she trys to be naughty she just seems sweet…."

"You will be happy…" assured Roxy, grasping her sister's arm, "Look at me…. She's one of us, part of this family, we'll look after her…"

"We will… won't we.." replied Ronnie hopefully.

There was silence for a few moments and then Roxy broke it.

"She really got drunk and trashed your house.." said Roxy, a secret smile on her face, "There's hope for the girl yet…"

"Oh very funny…" retorted Ronnie, playfully slapping her sister on the arm, "It isn't you that has to pay for the repairs…. And she could have really hurt herself, pulling a stunt like that… You should have seen how drunk she was Rox…"

"It's nothing new in this family.." assured the ever optimist Roxy, "Remember that time me and you got drunk and then arrested…. We smashed up that guy's bar, that boyfriend of mine, who you found out was married….. I must have been about nineteen, you twenty two… You should have known better."

The two sister's burst out laughing at this hilarious memory, which they hadn't found funny at the time.

"You really think that I can be a mother to a grown up girl who I've never known," sighed Ronnie, after she had calmed down, "I mean how do I behave, I want her to live with me and never leave, but I know that she won't want to stay for ever, she's nearly twenty…." she paused slightly, "I've missed years Rox….. and it hurts me every time I look at her…"

"Well, Phil still lives with his mum…" laughed Roxy light-heartedly, trying to cheer her sister up.

"I'll give her everything she wants and maybe she won't leave me for a few years…" reasoned Ronnie, she was only half serious though.

"Not a good idea…." replied Roxy, "You don't want her to end up like me, or Phil for that matter…."

"All I know is life's too short to worry about being tough on your kids…" insisted Ronnie matter of factly, "I don't want to be that kind of person, the kind of person who says no and constantly hassles their child, I don't want to drive her away like dad did with us…"

"Well…dad's a vicious bitter old man…. He's not right in the head Ron, you're nothing like him…." assured Roxy softly, "We definitely drew the short straw when it comes to parents, one punishes us by leaving, the other punishes us all by staying…"

"You're a great mum to Amy.." Ronnie blurted out suddenly, "How do you do it… You have to teach me…"

"Don't be daft Ron….. Amy's a baby…. Danielle is a grown woman, I don't think she has quite the same needs anymore. I've got all that to come still, the drinking, the boys, the sex talks, and pregnancy scares.." Roxy suddenly felt overwhelmed by thinking about when Amy would become a teenager… "Anyway you went through all that with me I suppose, mum sure as hell never gave a dam, and dad would have hit the roof if I'd ever mentioned the word sex to him… You really looked after me….. And I've never thanked you, you were far too young for that kind of responsibility, but you did it anyway…."

"You don't have to thank me… I needed a child to look after.. I.." Ronnie trailed off, her expression sad and distant.

Roxy wrapped her arm around her sister's shoulder.

"Remember when you was about sixteen, one day you told me that you were going out to find your baby, you was really drunk, I think it was the baby's birthday or something… I followed you, we didn't even know where to start of course. You saw this little girl in the park in her buggy and you told me that she was yours…. And I said I'd steel her back for you…. That's when you finally sobered up and took me home…"

"That's' the one day of the year that I'd think of her the most….. Her birthday…" said Ronnie softly, leaning against her sister, "I'd go out and buy her a present every year, but the next day I'd get so angry that I couldn't send it, that I'd throw it away, and then I'd feel guilty….. I kept one though, her thirteenth birthday present, it's a ring, really expensive it was too……………..I couldn't bare to look at it after that day, it's in a box at home…"

"You can give it to her now…" insisted Roxy, with tears in her eyes, "She's come back to you because she loves you right… So she had a hard time telling you the truth, but she tried to get to know you…. and little Amy."

"I hope that she doesn't blame me… For the abortion, because I can't help but blame myself." confessed Ronnie, seeing as it was the day to finally admit everything she felt.

"I should have told her what I really felt about it…. That she would regret it for the rest of her life…"

The door opened suddenly and Danielle appeared, dressed in pair of white panamas that were too big for her, and a towel wrapped around her hair… Her expression was agonising to look at, "Do you think that's true…" she asked in a scared little voice, "What can I do about it……" she cried out in desperation, "It's done now… What am I gonna do! What have I done!"

Ronnie felt so stupid and mentally slapping herself said gently, "Oh don't listen to me darling, that's just me and my big mouth, you have nothing to feel guilty about!"

"Yes I do!" screamed Danielle in a panic, "You see….. I…. I've been very, very stupid….. I think…….. I think I might be pregnant again…" she blurted out the words, and then covered her mouth in shock, "I've probably killed it!"

Ronnie felt her whole world come crashing down around her again. Her little girl was in pain because she hadn't been looking after her properly. Her father had been right all along, Ronnie Mitchell was a sad vicious little witch, at least that's how she felt about herself.

"It's all right Danielle…" insisted Roxy, rushing to her niece's side, "Come sit down… I'll get you a test, right now from the shop… I drank once when I was pregnant… It only hurts the baby if you do it constantly…." assured Roxy in a very uncertain voice, helping Danielle to the couch.

Ronnie could have slapped Roxy for having so little tact… But she couldn't move or say anything, she stared at her daughter and a very uncomfortable silence came over the room. What was she supposed to do now.

Authors notes.

The next chapter was supposed to be part of this one, but I just thought it got to long. I wrote it down on paper first so I'll start copying it on to the computer soon.

In the next chapter, Ronnie contemplates her own pregnancy as she waits to find out if Danielle is pregnant again… I'm making her sound like a right slapper.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"It was a mate of mine from school…" explained Danielle, staring at the floor in shame, "When I went back to Telford I was just so lonely, I just didn't fit in anymore….. Next thing I know, I missing, you know my period again…. I just tried to ignore it, hoping it would go away… But I can't anymore…"

"It's ok…" assured Ronnie in a very week voice, indicating to Danielle that her mother did not think it was ok at all, "I'm not barren by the way…" she began hoarsely, as if there was something stuck in her throat, "I'm not, my father was lying… I wouldn't want to take your baby from you…" Ronnie wasn't sure what she her self was even talking about anymore.

Danielle stared at her mother in disbelief and suddenly felt angry….. Why did everything have to be about her, and her crazy problems! "Whatever!" she spat and buried her head into the couch arm in a temper.

Roxy left the room hurriedly, hoping that an explosive argument wasn't about to occur. Perhaps she shouldn't have told Danielle to be rebellious towards Ronnie that one time.

"And what do you mean by that that…" demanded Ronnie in a gentle but irritated voice.

"Just get off my case!" snapped Danielle viciously, "Well….. Maybe you'd prefer a baby rather than me… That's all…. Maybe you'd like a chance to finish off what you started yeh!" she said accusingly, "That's why you had to bring the abortion up! Don't you understand that I can't bare to think about it!" Danielle's temper was rising, and she wasn't even sure why she was reacting this way…..

"Danielle!" exclaimed Ronnie in astonishment, "Where on earth is all this coming from…. I'm just scared for you that's all…. I wouldn't prefer anyone or anything to you, you're my first and only child…. "

"Just like you are Archie's child! And look how he treats you aye!" Danielle said in a hateful voice.

"Why are you being so antagonistic towards me…." asked Ronnie in high pitched voice… She was trying not to loose her temper with Danielle at all costs.

Danielle glared intently at her mother, and then her eyes softened as she saw the hurt in Ronnie's face.

"I'm sorry Ronnie…." she sighed unhappily, "I just don't know how I'm supposed to feel about anything anymore….." she folded her arms moodily and turned away… In a way she wanted to slap Ronnie's face, make her furious, see how far she could push her. But she just couldn't, her mother was trying after all.

"Maybe you should eat something…" suggested Ronnie distantly, this mother, daughter thing was extremely difficult to work out, and she was failing miserably again already, "I'll go make you a sandwich…" she got up, but before she left, Ronnie relented, as she noticed Danielle's unhappy expression….. She knelt down and slowly wrapped her arms around her daughter's waist, so it would be harder for the girl to her to push her away if that's what she chose to do, in the temper she was in, Ronnie wouldn't have been surprised, "Don't worry darling," she whispered, "What ever happens I'll look after you…." she wanted to say 'both of you' but decided that it might set her daughter off into a rage again.

Danielle smiled gratefully… Although she had painted graffiti on Ronnie's door, destroyed her house, stolen from her, and burdened her with countless problems, her mother still cared about her. No matter how many years had passed since they had been together as mother and daughter, the love and need still seemed to exist between them. Danielle's need to be looked after and Ronnie's need to care for her baby no matter how hard it was..

Part 2

Denise gave Roxy a funny look as she took the pregnancy test and ran it through the till, "That's eleven pound ninety nine…" she said coyly, "So…" she began in a curiously sly voice, "Who's the father this time…. Jack," she continued, "I mean I don't mean to be rude but…. Is it Sean's." she smiled in fake concern.

Roxy began tapping her nails on the counter in frustration and almost growled at the woman, " What did you say!" she snapped, grabbing the package and glaring at Denise, "Why don't you just keep your nose out aye! I heard that one of your kid's dad is a psycho! doing time for trying to kill his own daughter! You really are better at picking men!" she then made a face at the astounded looking Denise, and dumped the cash in front of her, "Catch yah later…"

"Oh bloody charming!" shouted Denise as she left, "Oh that's' a really nice way to speak to your neighbours…."

When Roxy arrived back at the Vic, she found Danielle crying in Ronnie's arms…. Her face dropped, there had been an argument, she was sure…. And Roxy herself had been on receiving end of Ronnie's temper in the past.

"I've got it!" she announced awkwardly, holding out the package….

An eerily silence fell upon the room, Danielle stopped crying, and Ronnie looked up and said nothing.

"I'll take it now…" stated the girl in a hollow voice, breaking the silence and breaking out of her hug with Ronnie, she grabbed the bag out of Roxy's hand and headed for the bath room.

Ronnie and Roxy waited in silence, neither could speak, which was a first.

Ronnie wasn't sure what to hope for, would a new baby, wipe a way all the years of hurt and loneliness, was she old enough to be a grandmother, one of the worlds youngest grannies, perhaps not….. Would a new baby make up for Danielle's abortion, she didn't know… Was a collection of cells really a proper life, that shouldn't have been killed…..

When she herself had been pregnant all those years ago, she had felt scared but extremely protective from the moment she had realised the truth, she had never gone for a test, it was four months down the line until she had finally accepted that she was carrying a child….Her father had went to hit her, he had never been a violent man before, but when he found out that she was pregnant, he had slapped her across the face so hard, that it had almost stopped her heart in fear… Her parents did their best to ignore her after that….. But Ronnie knew what they were thinking, that she was a slapper, and not their little girl anymore.

She couldn't talk to anyone about it, so one day she had pressed her hand up against her stomach, and alone in her room had said, "Baby… What are you doing coming here now…. Don't you know that I'm too young to have you, I'm just a little girl…. I pretend I'm not, but I am… I still have dumb arguments with my mum and sister, I watch Grange hill, and drink cheap cider down the pavilion with my mates, I have a teddy bear, and I'm crap at maths…. How on earth am I going to look after you properly….. I know this girl at school, who's sister's got a kid, she can't control him, he's two and she swears at him constantly, she was fifteen when she had him………. I wonder what you are a boy or a girl, I have a feeling that you're a girl, or maybe that's just what I want you to be….. But don't feel bad if you're a boy, cause I'll love you anyway… Why do I love you so much….. You want to know your name? It's Amy, I think it's pretty, I hope that you like it…… If you're a boy I guess I could call you Ronald… Nah I'd never be that cruel….. How about Joel, after your daddy…..

These were the first of many long one way conversations with her daughter, ones that she would remember always. The following was the last, because after Amy was born, Ronnie had hardly been able two words for long time afterwards.

"Well… You're due in a few days…. And dad says that I can't keep you Amy no matter how much I beg…. When you go to this other family, Don't, don't forget me….. I've bought a locket for you….. Mum said it would be a good Idea… I reckon she got it from the film Annie, but it's still a good idea, it'll be something for you to keep, so that you'll know my face as you grow up… I've got one to, I'll put your picture inside it…. Don't be sad about this Amy… You'll have a good life, with a real grown up mum and dad who know what their doing, they'll pick super rich people for you….. Please don't hurt me to much when you're born…. Oh can I really let you go away, no matter how much you hurt me…… God I hate him baby! I hate him and mum, I just want to run away, so that we can be together, you me and your dad….. You aren't a toy or something that he can just confiscate, he's ripping out my heart…" The young Ronnie turned on the radio and threw herself back on the bed, wrapping her arms tightly around her swollen stomach.

How I long to be thereWith Marie who's waiting for me thereEvery lonely cityWhere i hang my hatAin't as half as pretty, As where my baby's atIs this the way to Amarillo?Every night ive been hugging my pillowDreaming dreams of AmarilloAnd sweet Marie who waits for meShow me the way to AmarilloIve been weeping like a willowCrying over Amarillo And sweet Marie who waits for meSha la la la la la la Sha la la la la la la Sha la la la la la la And Marie who waits for me……

"Well…. It makes a change from that dreadful cher song, don't you agree…" laughed Ronnie, stroking her belly lovingly, "We'll always find each other right, you and me, no matter how many years pass between us… You'll wait for me, I'm your mum, look after yourself Amy, because I can't…. Be a good girl, or boy, whatever bits you happen to have….. Dad says that I get to hold you, and then say goodbye, and that might be the last and only time we ever see each other…" The fourteen year old Ronnie began to cry bitterly, "Don't ever come out baby… stay in here for ever….. I don't mind, even if I become the size of house, if it only means I can keep you… Why Can't I keep you!"

"Stop talking to yourself V! Archie had yelled, from the hallway…. He had nasty habit of listening at her door, encase she was phoning Joel.

The grown up Ronnie snapped back to reality as she realised that Danielle was standing in front of her, holding the white stick… And she had and ancient look in her young eyes.

"I'm pregnant…" she said simply, seeming neither happy or disappointed.

"How do you feel…." asked Ronnie nervously.

"Like a mother…" replied Danielle resolutely, the three most honest words she had ever spoken, "Now I have you… I think I can do anything.."

Author's notes

Please review…. I'm thinking about writing more, involving Archie's revenge, or do you think I should leave it here….


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

So…. What's the father like…" asked Ronnie curiously, Danielle looked at her mother and groaned, "He's well… great… He's one of my friend's older brothers, we went to the same school…" she smiled slightly.

"Saying that…. I don't think he's ready to be a father…. He's going travelling in the summer…. I suppose I could tell him when he comes back… We don't need anyone else do we…" asked Danielle uncertainly, "You don't mind, helping me to raise it, do you, because I'm not sure my dad would be much use, and I can't have another abortion, I just can't.."

"Of course I'll help you.." replied Ronnie resolutely, "Maybe Roxy can give you a few tips, but according to her you're great with Amy already…"

It was late into the evening were sat side by side on the sofa, a blanket over their legs. Roxy had gone to bed hours ago and Amy had finally settled.

"Can I be a mum?" Danielle blurted out suddenly, feeling almost ready to talk to Ronnie about everything, even if it did make her sound crazy, "I mean, I want the baby, I really do, but what if I can't cut it…. Me and my other mum…" she said the last part very quietly, "Well I loved her a lot, but as I grew older I started to feel sort of resentful towards her…. I don't know, she'd get this look in her eye whenever she saw me wearing the locket or looking at your picture, I think she was jealous or something……. She gave it to me when I was six, because it was the right thing to do… but I think she regretted it…" Danielle sighed, this talking about her child hood routine was harder than she thought it would be, but she continued on….

"It caused a lot problems I guess……. I'd talk to you sometimes, well the picture really, It was silly but it made me feel better…. Mum thought that I had emotional problems and sent me to a head doctor when I was about twelve, and we had this huge fight about it….

Dad was on my side, he said that maybe we should try and find you….. But mum went berserk, not in front of me of course, I heard them yelling at night, first time I'd ever heard them arguing in my life, they were always so perfect you see…… Garreth blamed me for their problems and refused to speak to me for months, he was adopted when he was four, and hated his real parents, who had sent him pictures…. I didn't feel the same way…"

Ronnie listened on in silence, nodding her head to show that she was paying attention. She realised that Danielle needed to vent. She must feel very angry and betrayed still, for not having her real mother there during childhood. For having something, a locket and a photograph, but nothing else, no phone calls, or birthday presents, or memories of any kind. Ronnie was beginning to think that her one token to Danielle had probably stopped her daughter from moving on and being fully close to her adoptive family, and that she had been very selfish, to give the locket to them in the first place. And she felt guiltier still.

"When my mum died… I cried for ages afterwards, but no one was there for me….. My dad was too devastated himself… And Garreth buggered off to a mate's house… I couldn't even bare to talk to anyone, I hated mum for leaving me….. A few months later I decided to find you, I was angry when you didn't get in touch, even though I'd put my details down with the agency…. I went to mum's grave and begged her to forgive me for putting you before her….." Danielle began to breath heavily and a tear escaped from her eye, but she sniffed and brushed it away, determined not to cry anymore, she had to be strong now, for her baby.

"Was is it sudden?" asked Ronnie in a hoarse voice, barely above a whisper. She had never loved anyone as much as she loved her daughter, but she felt as though she was responsible for all of Danielle's problems, and none of the beautiful things about her, they were down to this other woman, the one who had raised her. She thought suddenly, 'Cling to her and never let go, make her see that you're her mother, no one else…'

It was a strange relationship, not normal, because of the separation and probably never would be. But Ronnie knew that she would never take her daughter for granted.

She wondered what it would be like to have Danielle in her life, for the rest of hers. And what about helping to raise her baby….. She'd have to understand the boundaries, and not be over baring, and remember that the baby was Danielle's, and all decisions made would have to be hers.

Ronnie remembered the picture in her bedroom at home, the one she had kept as part of her past. Her mum, dad, little sister and herself, captured forever in a world based upon lies and deceit. Love that was centred around control and denial……

They had been a handsome family, that had seemed perfect when she was little, but thinking back now, it was all just a sham.

"It wasn't.." replied Danielle after a while, "And in a way it was…. I always expected her to get better, no matter what people told me, I couldn't face facts…. She had cancer, I found her dead one afternoon…. Overdosed on sleeping pills, I guess she just couldn't take the pain anymore….." Danielle shrugged as if it were no big deal, although in truth this was a memory that she had hoped would stay buried forever.

Ronnie gasped in horror and kissed her daughter's hand, "My brave girl…" she said in a choked voice, "My poor baby…."

"So…" began Danielle sleepily, trying to forget her own tragic experience, "What's your story…. I'm sick of hearing the sound of my own voice…"

Ronnie gulped, she wasn't in the mood to talk at all, instead she leaned against Danielle and a lump came in her throat and tears in her eyes and she blurted out, "My story is that I'm a fool…… and so full of anger, that I thought that it would destroy me, It just got worse and worse… But not anymore…" she insisted forcefully, throwing her arms around her daughter, "Not anymore…."

The two clung to each other in silence and Ronnie wrapped the blanket around both of them tightly. She needed to sleep, but wasn't comfortable with being separated from her child at all, Since the moment Danielle had given her that scared look in the prison cell, Ronnie had known that a hug and a kiss might not fix everything, but it was a start….. And then she found that she could sleep, as a relaxed smile appeared on her face.

Part 2

Archie sat in his living room, his big empty house…. The clock told him quarter to twelve… A bitter grimace spread across his pinched lips as he gulped down another whisky, his seventh of the evening.

He held a picture of little Veronica in his hands. He gazed at the three year old, with blond curls and large blue eyes. He was in love with her, his tragic baby, someone he thought he would never loose, not twice…. She had been perfect, but had turned against him. All because of that Joel! Archie wanted to kill him now more than ever, all those old memories and feelings of hatred were beginning to return to the surface. He would find out where he lived and destroy him! Ruin his life….

Archie felt that he had nothing else left to loose, he had been humiliated by his entire family, and the love of his life.

"I'll make him pay…" he muttered to himself, "And that demented freak Danielle, I'll send her back to where she came from… both of them can go together!"

The next day Archie wasn't as sure of himself as he had been the night before, but he still knew what he had to do.

"Hi there Colin…" he chuckled, holding his mobile to his ear

"Yeh it has been a long time…. How's your Mary doing…"

"Oh yeh that's right Marie….. Sorry mate."

"Well anyway… I was wondering if you are still in touch with that nephew of yours… Joel.. My daughter is an old friend of his…"

"You are! Well that's great….. Two daughters himself, well lucky him…. Well anyway Col, could you give me his address…"

Archie smiled in satisfaction as he wrote the information down, "Thanks Col….. We should get together for a drink sometime aye… Bye now…."

Archie threw his phone on the table. He had to be very careful as to go about this….. She he get Danielle to go to her father, manipulate her into wanting to meet him, and then set the trap, once they were together…

Part 3

Oye! You awake!" barked Phil, at the sleeping figures, "Some of us would like to sit down for a bit…. This ain't a flaming doss house…. why don't you get up and clean the pub aye!"

Danielle startled in her sleep and cracked her head against her mother's, "Ouch!" she yelled out in pain.

"Phil!" erupted Ronnie in annoyance, "Can't you see that we were asleep! Go on… Get out! You great lump!"

"Right well, I'll just go sit in the kitchen all day shall I…" retorted Phil shutting the door, "Women everywhere…" he muttered, "In every room.."

Ronnie stretched out her arms which were cramped and sore, she also rubbed her head, "Morning baby…" she said sleepily, putting one hand on Danielle's forehead, and another on her stomach, "And morning little baby girl…"

"Please don't…" insisted Danielle, sounding embarrassed, "Anyway who says it's a girl…. I'd prefer a boy actually…."

"Fine… boy it is then," Ronnie corrected with a huge grin on her face, leaning towards where the baby was, "Morning baby boy…"

"Do you mind!" snapped Danielle, and immediately regretted it, "Look, until I've been to a doctor and had a scan, I'd just prefer it if you didn't talk to my stomach like that, or suggest names or anything….. I can barely get my head around the fact that there's a baby in there as it is…"

Ronnie felt stupid for putting her foot in it for the millionth time.. And she had only just woken up….. Why was she acting so inappropriately, was she crazy? Of course Danielle didn't wan to hear about the baby right now.

"I'm sorry Danielle.." she said in a sensible voice. It was time to stop treating the poor girl like a child, or some sort of security blanket.

"I'll stop…. Right why don't we go to the café for breakfast… I don't know about you but I need to get out of here…"

Danielle nodded, "Yeh… mum?" She said, without realising what she was saying, "Do you think that they'll send me to prison…. Or worse still you…."

"Nah…" Ronnie answered in certainty, "Community service, or maybe a fine…. Anyway I have feeling that they will just drop it, you've never been in trouble before, have you… And I'm hardly going to push for charges against you am I, Those incompetent idiots will never make it stick… And as for me, it was self defence…That's what you always say…"

"Well… if they do send me to jail.." began Danielle, "At least it'll give me Mitchell credibility….. You seem to know a lot about the law, and I think I might know the reason why…." she joked, trying to look serious.

"Hey… hilariously funny…" replied Ronnie, nudging her daughter playfully, "Oh," she sighed, "We're going to be best friends aren't we… I mean not just mother and daughter….. Cause my relationship with my mum, not a great example….. She treated me like a three year old until the day she left."

"Mum…" said Danielle in a week voice, "It's too early for anything serious… And I don't feel too good…. I feel dreadful.." she lurched suddenly and staggered forwards, "I need to be sick!" she wailed and ran out of the room.

"Morning sickness…" Reasoned Ronnie as she sat there in surprise, "I remember that.."

Author's notes….

Sorry for not updating sooner, been busy….. I hope you liked it, I know Ronnie is acting strange. The reason, because she beginning to remember things about her own pregnancy.

Anyway, Archie won't be back for a while…. But before the baby is born…. And there's a twist to do with the baby in the next chapter.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter six

Just then, after Danielle had left the room, Roxy bustled in with Amy in her arms.

"Morning sunshine," she exclaimed enthusiastically, sitting down next to Ronnie, "I just got a call from aunty Peg, she wants to throw a celebration dinner or something…. She's coming home sometime today… I'm just glad, that dad has finally left, Christian, saw him driving off last night, bags packed and everything….. I'm thinking of burning the last of his stuff…. Wanna help?"

"To be honest…" began Ronnie softly, "If I never see his face again it'll be too soon, but now I have my daughter back…. I need to do what's best for her and forget about him for now… I need to concentrate on her and the baby…."

"How far along do you think she is?" asked Roxy, desperately trying to get Amy to take her bottle.

Ronnie shrugged, "A couple of months maybe…. I don't know, perhaps less, I just don't remember when she came back from Telford…"

"Well go ask her then.." insisted Roxy, rocking Amy as she continued to fuss, "Don't leave anything unsaid Ron, go hold her hair back while she pukes…. Hold her when she cries…"

"I don't know Roxy…." sighed Ronnie intently, fiddling with her nails, "I think she might need some space just now…. I really don't now what to say to her, because I don't want to offend her again… I pushed her to the ground… threatened her, and told her she was worthless, when she was begging…. crying out to me…... How am I supposed to make it up to her…… Why do I say these things to people Rox… What's the matter with me? Am I like our father, he's just as vicious…."

"Oh shut up will yah!" exclaimed her sister harshly, "Give it a rest… Christ Ronnie… Just try and make it right, and stop putting up your glass wall. You are nothing like dad…. Danielle needs a friend right now, and that friend could be you…" Roxy paused and added, "Or Stacey…"

"Stacey!" uttered Ronnie looking outraged at such a suggestion, "Stacey's just a kid, and to be honest a bit of a tart, what could she possibly offer my daughter!"

"She's been supporting Danielle for months Ron, like it or not they are best friends…" answered Roxy truthfully, "They have worked and lived together, they must be pretty close…"

"No!" snapped Ronnie angrily, glaring at her sister, "I am Danielle's mother and friend…. We don't need anyone else…. Why are you saying all this… Trying to make me feel worse are you!"

"I'm just trying to stop you from acting crazy…" replied Roxy, as Amy began to scream harder than ever, "Don't wrap her up in cotton wool, but just be there for her…"

"Stop harping on will you…. I can't take it…" breathed Ronnie, trying to keep herself calm, "I don't mind Danielle being friends with Stacey, but my baby is going to rely on me for support, not a girl, who sleeps with married men, and parades herself around the square…"

"You're starting already Ron…" warned Roxy, gritting her teeth, "With the judging…. Just go and comfort your daughter aye, and let me settle Amy…" she snarled, rocking her own child close.

Ronnie groaned and gave her sister an apologetic look, before getting up to go and find Danielle, she just didn't want to fight anymore.

"Baby…" she called out from the hall, "Where are you darling… I'm sorry for upsetting you before…" Ronnie couldn't hear anything, so she knocked on the bathroom door, "Hello…" she said softly, "Hello…"

"What!" yelled Phil irritably, "Can't a man take a shower in peace…. Or do you wanna watch or somefink!" he paused for a few seconds, "Well at least you knock! Which is more that can be said for that kid of yours…" Phil laughed… and began to whistle inanely. He had been drinking, by the sounds of things, "Boy did she see more than she bargained for…"

Danielle hurried out of the Vic, she needed to get away if only for a few hours, she felt embarrassed and alone. Seeing Phil naked had been bad enough, but now she was in the street, with Roxy's pyjamas on, people staring and pointing at her. She ran for Stacey's house, as fast as she could…

"Dan!" exclaimed Stacey, who was still in her dressing gown, "What are you doing here…. In… in those pyjamas…. Was Ronnie nasty to you? I'll break her face, I swear!"

"No.." insisted Danielle hurriedly, forcing herself into the house, "I just need time away from them, you know, get my head together…."

"Alright!" reasoned Stacey, quite happy that Danielle had turned up, "Get yourself sat down… The family's nowhere in sight… thank god…. I'll make us a fry up…"

"Thanks Stace," replied Danielle gratefully, "I need some clothes yeh….. I know Ronnie will be round here in about two minutes when she realises that I'm gone…… But tell her I'll meet her in the café at one…. She won't leave me alone for five seconds, it's a little scary actually…"

"Ronnie Mitchell, acting Scary… No!" scoffed Stacey sarcastically, and winked at her friend, "Anyway, on a lighter note….. how drunk were we the other night Dan, what a laugh aye, well wicked…. Not so great being arrested and you busting your hand, but I bet nofing will happen about the charges….. It was so funny when you, poured vodka all over Ronnie's work clothes….."

"Yeh very funny…"replied Danielle, feeling a tinge of guilt, "I just hope Ronnie doesn't go mad when she sees them…"

"Nah… course she won't… You saw her, she was all over you, practically hugging you to death…. Slightly sickening it was…. But sweet in a odd way…" insisted Stacey, throwing some bacon into the pan, "You left some clothes here if you wanna get dressed, cause those pjs….. Not very flattering…"

"They're Roxy's…" said Danielle distantly… "Ronnie, I mean mum, is probably doing her nut…. Maybe I should phone her….."

"Don't be daft…" answered Stacey, flipping the bacon, with her fingers, "She'll get that you're here…"

Part 2.……………………………

"Yeh!" barked Ronnie, on the other end of the phone to a window repair service, "Well get them fixed today, or I'll take my business elsewhere…."

She was in a terrible mood…. Danielle had just up and left. And no wonder, with Phil acting like a demented baboon. What nineteen year old girl could put up with him…. What if Danielle decided that this wasn't a family that she wanted her baby being brought up in, and went back to her father and brother….. Ronnie felt sick inside, why was this family always embarrassing her….. She couldn't loose her daughter and granddaughter, not ever……

About twenty minutes later

Ronnie banged her fist on the Slater's door frantically…..

"What the ell do you fink you're playing at!" snapped Stacey as she answered the door, "My mum's still in bed!"

"Is she here!" hissed Ronnie, shooting Stacey an accusatory glance, "Where is my daughter!"

"What is wrong with you!" exclaimed the confused looking girl, "She's upstairs taking a bath and getting dressed… Or do you fink she needs help with that! She aint two years old…… now if you don't mind, I've got stuff to do…" Stacey pursed her lips and frowned, and when Ronnie didn't move she said, "What do you want! Me to throw you a parade or somefink…. Danielle says she'll meet you in the café at one…"

"No!" insisted Ronnie angrily, "Let me in! I want an explanation!"

"Just leave her be!" hissed Stacey, pointing her finger at Ronnie, "She needs some time to herself…"

Ronnie stumbled forwards slightly, indicating to Stacey that she had had few… "And who are you… to tell me what to do… hey that rhymes…" slurred Ronnie, "….. Sweetie!" she bellowed into the house, "Sweetie!…"

Stacey stared in disbelief, and held Ronnie's arms steady, "You're a disgrace!" spat Stacey viciously, "What you're trying to punish Danielle now, letting her see you acting retarded at ten in the morning.."

"Oh you're one to talk love!" laughed Ronnie incredulously, snatching her arms away, "You twisted little cow!" she spat, her eyes unfocussed.

"Right. So this is how you react every time she does somefink you don't like! You're out of your mind Ronnie, you need help! I'm not surprised really, considering your family's history!" roared Stacey, in a temper, "Now get off of my doorstep and out of my sight, before I slam that face of yours into the curb!" She slammed the door…..

And Ronnie gave up and marched away, across the street, wiping away tears of anger.

About ten minutes later…………

"What was going on!" demanded Danielle, running down the stairs in a panic, "Was that my mum… I heard yelling!"

"Yeh… It was…" replied Stacey, sympathetically, "She… was….well she was kind of drunk…. But don't worry I handled it… She's probably gone home to sober up…"

"Oh…. What!" screeched Danielle, "I have to go and find her…..She needs me, it's her dad, he said some sick things to her yesterday….. I shouldn't have left her…."

"Dan!" insisted her friend, grabbing her hands, "You owe her nothing…. She should be taking care of you, not the other way round….. She's mental Danielle, stay away, at least until she's calmed down aye…."

Danielle shook her head vigorously, "I'm sorry but I can't…." she opened the front door and ran off to try and find her mother.

She found her mother eventually, weeping pathetically back in her own flat….. She was sat on the couch, a bottle of vodka in front of her, her hands over her face and was continually rubbing her eyes. The windows had been boarded up, and Danielle noticed that there was still quite a bit of glass lying around, and smashed photographs strewn everywhere.

"I'm sorry…" whispered Danielle, approaching Ronnie cautiously, "I didn't mean to go out with out telling you…"

Ronnie leapt off the couch at the sight of her daughter, and knocked the vodka to the floor.

"Angel face…" she uttered in a high drunken voice, clutching at a horrified looking Danielle's hands, "You Came back…. I knew you wouldn't leave me…. Cause your not like the rest of my family….. They are all evil…. Depraved…. And selfish…. But you…" she pointed at her daughter, "Are lovely…"

"Ronnie!" exclaimed Danielle in a concerned tonne, "Why are you doing this… And why did you say all those spiteful things to Stacey!"

"Because…." shrugged Ronnie, stumbling backwards, on purpose pulling poor Danielle down with her, but catching her, "I don't want you to leave me again…. Not without knowing where you are…. Anything could have happened….. He told me you died, do you realise what that felt like…. I believed him… I don't know why…."

Danielle fell to her knees and Ronnie against the couch, "I'm sorry… so sorry…." she said, looking dazed, "I'm not really much of a drinker…"

"Oh….. Great…" sighed Danielle, looking intently at her ridiculously foolish looking mother….. What a pair they made.

"It's a bit early isn't it…" she offered light heartedly, looking into Ronnie's rapidly blinking eyes, "I don't think you should have drank so much…" she felt hypocritical, but it had to be said …

Ronnie groaned and tried unsuccessfully to pull her daughter into a hug, "So what…. It made me feel better… I missed you.."

"This is serious!" insisted Danielle forcefully, gently pushing Ronnie away, and forcing herself to look properly at her, "I thought you were done with being angry… but you lied… When are you ever going to tell the truth…" she kept her voice calm, but she wanted to scream….. The only thing stopping her was, the fact that when she had been drunk and out of control, Ronnie had been kind to her…..

Ronnie burst into tears, and began flapping her arms about in despair….. She felt that she could do nothing right anymore….. She had been a fool to think that she could cope.

"I'm pregnant Ronnie…" said Danielle seriously, holding on to her mother's shoulders firmly, "I don't need this…. No look…. stop it….. Calm down Ronnie…. Please calm down…"

"Don't call me by that name…. call me mum…" insisted Ronne desperately…

There was no talking to the woman in this state reasoned Danielle, when Ronnie began to wail bitterly… She was beginning to think that perhaps Archie had been partially right about her mum's mental state, although he had failed to mention the fact that he was responsible.

"I love you….. mum…." Danielle said awkwardly, in a child like voice, pulling Ronnie towards her and cuddling close, "Even if you are crazy…"

Ronnie stopped crying and whimpered out, "You're a good girl…" and then she began to sing foolishly, or hum rather, some tune that Danielle didn't know.

"Yeh… yeh…" Danielle hushed soothingly, "what ever you say…." she doubted Ronnie was even listening to her…. But at least she seemed comforted.

Danielle felt babyish, child like and scared….. But now that she was going to be a mother herself, she had to be a stronger person, she felt, that if she gave up now, it would be just as bad for her baby.

Four hours later………………………………...............

"Get up!" insisted Danielle forcefully, shaking her sleeping mother, who was lying on the couch, "We're going to that family dinner… Roxy phoned and told me… And the window guy phoned too, they'll be here in a few hours…"

Ronnie moaned and pulled herself up rubbed her eyes and then remembered the idiotic way that she had behaved, she gave Danielle a guilty look …… "Yeh ok…" she said, "Let them clean up the glass….. It's what they're paid for…."

"I already did…" explained Danielle, "I cleaned the whole place up.."

"You could have cut yourself," replied Ronnie, feeling regretful and anxious, "And I don't want you hurt…. Again…"

"Yeh…" insisted Danielle, standing awkwardly, in front of her mother, "But I didn't…..I'm not that stupid, despite what you might think…."

"I don't think that…. I never would, not of you…" said Ronnie, her eyes staring at Danielle intently, "I'm the stupid one…..I totally screwed up…. As always…"

"Yeh… you know what you did!" snapped Danielle, glaring at her mother, "Now go and get changed! And don't bother arguing, or I'm out of here for good, and you can drink as much as you want! Do you understand!" the words just came flooding out, although she didn't want them to.

"Fine…" said Ronnie, feeling almost intimidated, "I'll get ready… Just please don't yell at me again…" she said in a small voice.

"Please, try to get it together…" begged Danielle, loosing her confidence rapidly, "I'm sorry for yelling…. But if we are going to get on… Then you can't push me too far…. The way I'm feeling right now… I'm close to loosing it myself…… I'm scared mum…" she whispered the last few words softly, "I need you…"

"I'll get changed at the Vic…." sighed Ronnie, who was utterly ashamed of herself, she reached for Danielle's hand, "Don't worry, I'm calm now…. Let's go have a family meal… be normal…"

"Yeh…. whatever normal means…." answered Danielle, rolling her eyes, "In a few days I'll go see the doctor, get a scan…. You'll come with me right… sober if you don't mind…."

"Yes!" insisted Ronnie, glad that her daughter still had a little faith in her, if not much, "I mean…. yes of course, we'll go shopping afterwards…. Spend some time together, or we could go away…. To Spain or somewhere…."

"That would be nice…" agreed Danielle, managing to crack a smile, as they walked out of the flat together, "But we can't…. facing charges still…" she mumbled…..

"Right…" said Ronnie, who had forgotten about the whole thing, in the midst of everything that was going on in her mind, "I just want to distance myself from this place for a while…. But not from you… never from you…"

She kissed Danielle's cheek quickly, remembering that she shouldn't smother, "Ok…. Let's cheer up… We can't look miserable in front of Peggy….. And don't let my family intimidate you….. I know seeing Phil in the buff couldn't have been a pleasant experience, but trust me you'll get over it…. Of course you'll be fine… You and me…. We're the best ones…" Ronnie continued to babble on…..

"Ron… I mean.. mum…" interrupted Danielle as they turned the corner, "You talk too much…" she joked…

"I'm…. never going to stop…" laughed Ronnie, stopping in the middle of the street, "And I promise you that…"

Danielle smiled, not sure what to make of the mother she had talked to all her life, but who had never spoken back….. "Come on…" she said pulling Ronnie along, "I'm hungry…"

Part 3

Three days later.

"You going for your scan today Danielle…" asked Roxy of her niece, who had stayed over to baby sit Amy, while Roxy was behind the bar…..

Danielle nodded and gazed ahead of her, a stressed look on her face……

"Is Ronnie giving you a hard time or something… because she texted me about ten times, saying how come your phone was off last night…" asked Roxy in a concerned voice, "I told her that you probably didn't want to disturb Amy…"

"She keeps going on about the baby, you know, saying that we should buy baby clothes…." replied Danielle distantly, tapping her phone on the kitchen table, "She didn't want me to come here alone last night either… She wanted to come with me…. But I told her to go to work…."

"She's possessive…" explained Roxy matter of factly, "It's the sad truth, all goes to back to when, you know what happened…. But she loves you, never stops going on about you… never did…… Anyway she's coming over soon to take you to the hospital…"

"I'm scared that they'll be something wrong with it…" sighed Danielle in a choked voice, "I'm scared that she'll blame me… She tries to hide it, but she's so happy that I'm pregnant…. I am too, in a way, but it's hard…."

Roxy smiled, seeing her own hopes and fears, "Hey it's ok," she reassured her niece, "I felt the same way with Amy… but it all turns out great in the end….. Well maybe not great….. But you'll never love anything as much as your baby…"

"I already do love him…" said Danielle assuredly, "With the last…. Pregnancy… I felt so alone, because of Ronnie… But I love Andrew…"

"Andrew?" questioned Roxy, bringing a cup of coffee to her lips.

"That's his name… And…. Bethan, if it's a girl," said Danielle, smiling dreamily, "Mum wants it to be a girl, I think….. But I'd love a boy…"

"You know what…" replied Roxy, sitting down opposite her niece, "I did too, but I wouldn't trade Amy for a million boys now….. And who cares what my sister wants, this is your baby, not hers… you remember that…"

Ronnie didn't look happy when she arrived at the Vic to collect Danielle, in fact she looked hung over.

"Let's get going sweetie… cab's waiting.." she said, forcing a smile for her daughter's sake

"Great…" replied Danielle, giving her mother a brief hug, feeling slightly annoyed she had clearly been at the bottle again.

Part four

Well…. Here we are…" said Ronnie nervously clutching Danielle's hand, as they walked into the hospital, "Don't worry sweetheart… it'll be fine…" she added positively, but feeling herself slipping into the past as she spoke, remembering her first scan at six months…..

The doctors had been horrible, they had looked upon her as a sad little slapper… Her own mother had gone with her, but had refused to go into the room with her daughter…. She had made some comment about the smell of hospitals, but had made no effort to comfort Ronnie at all….. They had returned home in silence, Ronnie gazing at the scan photograph all the way in the car……… Glenda, trying to imagine a life that didn't so closely resemble hell.

"What's this!" Archie had demanded, when his daughter walked into the kitchen, still clutching the photo…….

"Give it to me!" he ordered. He had been festering away in the house all day, waiting for his wife and daughter to return, "Give it to me now!"

He grabbed it out of her hands and ripped it up in front of Ronnie and threw the pieces at her, "Get out of my sight!" he had spat nastily, "I've told you already the baby is going to be adopted…. Why can't you get that into your head, aye girl…. I don't want any reminders of it in this house!"

"Why don't you!" Ronnie had screamed desperately, "Piss off dad! I hate you, I hate you both…. I wish you'd die!"

Archie had grabbed her in a fury and shaken her, "Get up to your room, you stupid little tart… You've ruined your life…. And made a laughing stock out me and this family!"

"I don't care!" Ronnie had retorted, her eyes defiant, "I hate this family!"

She shrugged him off and ran up to her room in tears…. Downstairs a flaming row had broken out between her parents.

Archie: Shut up Glenda! You know I'm sorry for saying that to her…. But I thought I told you… no photos!

Glenda: Or Archie…. Just stop will yah… This arguing is no good for Veronica, or Roxanne…. I've heard whispers going around the place that you beat our daughters…. And worse…"

Archie: That's ridiculous! You seriously believe those vicious lies!

Glenda: No… of course not… But I'm just scared that someone is going to call the social… The neighbours can hear the rows that go on here!

Archie: They think… I interfered with her, don't they… that's disgusting!

Glenda: Oh I just wish that this had never happened… There are times when I wished that she would just miscarry… then maybe she's have some peace.

Archie: "Do you remember!" He had roared, "The hell we went through , when we lost her two siblings…. Don't ever say that, you stupid cow… Adoption will be the best thing, we're giving people without children a chance to be parents!"

Glenda: "Sarah and Clarrisa!" she yelled, "I didn't miscarry you fool! They were still born…. But veronica survived them both, she was the strong one…. I can't let her piss up her life… I've moved on from their deaths, but can our daughter really move on when her baby is still out there! See you haven't thought this through have you Archie, to you it's just a baby, but to her….. It's part of her!"

Please review…. See if you can guess the twist. Pretty obvious right.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Ronnie felt a sudden moment of clarity inside her mind, as she clearly remembered that exact conversation between her parents… She must have been a triplet or something….. She had just assumed at the time, that her mother had meant, children before her, that may have come along…. She had always known that her mother had had a still born child a few years after Roxy…. The words, "But Veronica survived…" rang through her brain, "Her two siblings," not 'Our other children…..'

"What's the matter?" asked Danielle, noticing her mother's anxious expression.

as they sat side by side in the waiting room,

"Nothing…" replied Ronnie, looking absentmindedly at her daughter's hands, and kissing her fingers, "Just thinking… that's all…"

"Danielle Jone's…" came a voice, which pulled Ronnie back to reality, "We're ready to see you now…" a middle aged woman with short black hair, smiled and gestured for them to follow….

Danielle felt very uncomfortable as lay on the small bed…. She didn't like the cold jell, and Ronnie, seemed to be in a world of her own, as she held her daughter's hand.

"There's your baby.." said the doctor in an upbeat tonne, Danielle and Ronnie both leaned towards the sonogram, "Oh… wait… let me just check something…" she moved the scanner around a bit…. Danielle froze… She knew it! there was something wrong with the baby…. She could hear the pounding of own heart as though it would burst….

"Babies…" said the doctor, a worried expression on her face.

"What do you mean!" demanded Ronnie, anxiously staring at the screen. To be honest, she herself wasn't sure what she was looking at… It was very blurry….

"Danielle.." said the doctor gently, looking intently at the scared looking girl, "There are three, very small babies… I'd say you're about eight or nine weeks into your pregnancy…"

"Three?" exclaimed Danielle in shock, her heart pounding harder than ever, "Three! three babies!" the word three, didn't even sound like a word anymore, "Is this a joke right…. Very funny… ha ha… Did Ronnie get you to say this…… Triplets…. Really?"

"Yes… can I ask…" said the doctor calmly, "Have you been taking any fertility treatment… Any hormones… Anything like that.."

Ronnie's face turned frosty, "What kind of a question is that!" she snapped, glaring at the doctor, "Of course she flaming hasn't…. She's, she's just a kid! Are you trying to be clever!"

Danielle began to shake her head in confusion, "No, no, no…. This, this can't be happening….." she uttered, "But…. I mean are they ok, there's nothing wrong with them right?" Danielle wasn't sure what to do or say, she couldn't believe what she was hearing….

"They are all fine…" replied the doctor, adjusting the screen slightly, "Good sizes, for triplets, and they are not identical….…"

"This is all like some horrible dream…" murmured Danielle in a monotone, practically crushing Ronnie's hand, "So… it's not, just a question of Bethany or Andrew anymore…" she stuttered, gazing at the screen, "I'm going to get so fat! Look at me already!" she babbled at no one in particular, "I'm the size of a house…. What I'm I going to do! I look more like six months pregnant! And no one bloody noticed! Cause no one notices poor pathetic Danielle, do they! Not even her own family!"

"Hey… hey…" soothed Ronnie gently, "Calm it down sweetie… I know it's a shock, but it'll be ok… It will…"

"You're dam right it's a shock!" yelled Danielle, trying to get herself under control, but she was breathing erratically.

"Maybe we should go…" offered Ronnie to the doctor hurriedly, "Just give us another appointment yeh…"

"We have a specialist… That you can talk to, she deals with multiple births, and can give you advice… I'm going to refer you to her Danielle love is that ok…" asked the doctor sympathetically…

Danielle nodded, blankly.

"Would you like a picture of the scan love?" asked the doctor in a kind voice… She could Danielle was having trouble getting her head around the whole idea. It didn't seem like the young woman in front of her had planned this baby, rather babies. And she doubted strongly that there was a father on the scene.

Ronnie waited anxiously for the reply, she couldn't deal with Danielle feeling so bad about everything… It wasn't ideal, but they were her babies, and if this was going to work, her daughter would have to be ready…. Just a few days ago, Ronnie had no children…. Now she had a daughter and three grandchildren on the way, she wasn't sure how to feel herself, only that she hurt when Danielle hurt.

"Yes…. Of course I….… Yes…." said Danielle simply, taking a deep breath…..

Flashback………………..

"She's gone Veronica…." said Archie softly, as he sat at his daughter's bedside. He had had a think, and concluded that it was best not let Veronica dwell on the pregnancy and let the family get back to normal, "To her new parents… They are very nice people…. They have been waiting for a baby for a long time…" actually, he hadn't a clue who they were, and in actual fact baby had been taken by a social worker, and would be adopted in a few months once the paperwork was finalised, "We can get back to normal now….. Hey guess what… I bought you a new walkman… Top of the range… The one you wanted for your birthday…." he handed her a wrapped present…

Ronnie shrugged and didn't even bother to look at it….. "Go on… take it love…" he insisted…. Trying to pretend that everything was great between them.

She gave him a hollow gaze and said in an empty hardened voice, "I don't want it… Just go away…" she turned on her side and stared at the wall, "Leave me alone…"

"Come on V…" insisted her father, smiling hopefully at her, "It's all over now… Why don't you listen to some tapes aye…. I brought all your favourites…Now you can listen to music as loud as you want…."

"I don't want it!" she cried out, shuffling slightly on the bed, "If you want to help me! Then bring Amy back!"

"No…. We already talked about this.." reasoned Archie, almost feeling pity for his foolish daughter, "You're too young, and me and your mother are not prepared to take on another baby at this stage….. You are a child.. Do you understand! Being a parent is more than just hugs and fairytales! It's very hard work…" Archie sighed, "I know what is best… trust me….. It's done… there is no going back…"

A few days after this conversation, Ronnie was back at home, if you could call it that, for it didn't feel the same anymore….. Her father had gone out and her mother was at her stupid social club. Ronnie lay on her bed and held on tightly to her locket, she couldn't even bare to look at the photo inside.

Her father's words of warning, before he had left the house ran through her mind, as she lay there, staring one of her posters, "Don't you dare start talking to Roxy about what has happened… Or you'll regret it…. She's confused enough as it is and she's been acting up….. Now stop moping around the place and clean the house, your mother and I are fed up with your laziness! And you're going back to school next week… No more excuses!" Ronnie hadn't replied to him, but had nodded her head, she was too tired to argue with him anymore.

"Ronnie…" a knock could be heard on her bedroom door, "Can I come in?"

Roxy's voice was unusually soft, she normally screamed and demanded, the noisier of the two and the bane of their parents' lives at times, of course that was Ronnie's role now.

Ronnie wasn't sure what to say, her sister had never asked permission in life before barging into her room, "Yeh…. Ok…" she replied in an equally soft voice…. Wanting to connect to someone even if her little sister couldn't possibly understand…..

Roxy opened the door and ran over to her, "Hey… I well miss you… Why have you been up here all day?" she said, jumping on Ronnie, "Mum's been a right cow to me…. I'm grounded… just for asking why the baby aint coming home…."

"Yeh… well…" said Ronnie in an emotionless voice, "The baby isn't coming home… She's gone to live with a really rich couple in France, and she's going to be a princess…. That's what I wanted…"

"That aint true.." reasoned the girl, reaching her arms out to Ronnie, "You don't have to make up stories to me. I'm not thick, you know…. Dad gave her away didn't he… I hoped he changed his mind, I even said she could share my room…"

"Oh…" sobbed Ronnie, clinging to her younger sister, "That was sweet of you…" It felt weird poring all the love that she felt into Roxy, who she usually tried to ignore, but on occasion would take on the role of mother, when their parents were having a particularly nasty row. But she had never dreamed of crying in front of her sister in the past.

"What does she look like?" asked Roxy curiously, lying next to Ronnie.

"Like.." began Ronnie, crying freely, her voice choked, "Not just a baby, but something so perfect…. I don't know why I feel so ridiculous Rox….. It's just a baby right, they all look the same…. But this one…" she said hauntingly, "She looks like mine…. The nurse said it was natural to feel close her, that it was just hormones, and soon I'd feel better… But I don't…. and I never will, I miss her…."

"I'm sorry Ron.." sighed Roxy, not having a clue what to do or say, "Wanna go and get some chips…. Kim says she'll nick me some fags and all…"

"No.." replied Ronnie, kissing her sister's hair, "And don't let me catch you smoking either… It's a disgusting habit… And you should stay away from that Kim and all, she's bad news…. But go out if you want, I'm not bothered…"

Roxy looked as though she was going to stick out her tongue, but instead she said, "Nah…" and hugged Ronnie tightly, "I'll stay here, I'm meant to be grounded and mum will be back with tea soon…. I hope it aint fish fingers again…"

Present day

Danielle said nothing in the car ride back to the square, and Ronnie wasn't sure how to talk to her or how to comfort her… So instead she leaned against her daughter's shoulder in order to offer support. But Danielle didn't respond at all, she just sat there, a grave expression on her face. They returned to the Vic, through the main door, as Ronnie had forgotten her key.

"Oh… hi there love…" said Peggy in a kind voice to Danielle, "Everything allright with the baby darlin…. I'm sorry… I couldn't help but over hear…"

Danielle remained silent and followed her mother through into the back… She could hear whispering already in the background. She heard, Ian Beale's voice, saying something like, "Well there's a surprise…."

"Sorry…" said Ronnie apologetically to Peggy, "She's just a bit upset…."

Peggy closed her eyes, and shrugged, and returned to serving the drinks.

As soon as they got upstairs, Danielle ran into the bathroom and slammed the door. The whole pub now knew that she was up the duff thanks to Peggy's big mouth… She locked the door and sank to the ground, leaning against the bath. She could hear her aunt and mother talking outside, it was strange to think of them by those titles, but she did, and had so for a long time.

"What's wrong.." questioned Roxy, as she heard the noise and came through into the hall, "Has something happened!"

"Let's just leave her…" sighed Ronnie turning to her sister, "She just needs time to calm down… that's all… We'll talk in there.." she gestured towards Roxy's room.

Part 2

Archie stood at the front door to Joel's home. The boy, now a man who had single handily ruined his little girl's life.

A man answered, he looked awful, he was unshaven, he had baby sick, or something all over him, and his hair was greasy and matted, "Yeh… Can I help you?" he asked, obviously tired and irritated.

"Don't you recognise me lad…. It's me Archie Mitchell, you remember…" replied Archie, the hint of a smirk on his lips.

Joel nodded blankly, but in his eyes he looked almost terrified at the site of his first girlfriend and childhood friend's father, "Yeh… and what do you want…" he said, raising his eye brows in suspicion, "I've got three kids to make dinner for and a six month old baby, so if you don't mind…"

"What…" began Archie, moving forward, his thoughts on how to get the man to listen to him, "No wife, on the scene, works nights does she…"

Joel paused and almost spat out the next few words.

"My wife died two months ago….. now you can see how upsetting a time this is for me and my family, just leave… right now.." Archie could see that Joel didn't trust him… But couldn't help but feel slightly pleased that he was suffering already in life, after what he had done.

"How would you like.." began Archie cautiously, "To be reunited with your daughter….yours and Veronica's, she's back with her now… And your kids could get to know their half sister…"

Joel sighed, and allowed Archie to follow him through into the living room…. He wasn't sure how to reply to this… His life was an utter mess, since his wife had died, and the thought of bringing up this other daughter to his children, was more than he could get his head around.

Archie frowned, the room was a mess. Two girls were fighting over the computer and an older boy of about eleven was watching TV, his eyes glued to the screen, a six month old girl in his arms.

"Turn that racket down, and get Michaela up to bed.." ordered Joel in a tired voice… The boy grunted and flicked the remote, heading out of the room…

"Sophie, Debbie, go and get some frozen chips from the shop…" he rummaged in his pocket and handed the older girl a few coins, "Go on, get going…"

The girls went, staring at Archie, suspiciously and began arguing to each other, out in the hall.

"So…" began Archie, taking his seat on the sofa, which was covered in crumbs, "Finding it hard to cope, I remember how hard it was after Glenda left…. Not easy, bringing them up on your own is it…"

Joel grimaced slightly, "Don't bother mate… Just tell me right…. How's my daughter doing, I mean, what's her name for starters……… And.. And does your daughter even know you're here…"

"Her name's Danielle…. And don't start with me Joel, I'm doing you a favour here… Veronica, doesn't want you any where near your daughter… But I don't think that's fare… I think you should be given the choice…"

"What.. She said that did she?" asked Joel, taking out a fag and lighting it. He had started smoking again after his wife had died.

"Yes she did… She found out you had more kids of your own, and was sickened… She's a very jealous and bitter woman Joel.." Archie, shook his head in fake sympathy, "Boy, has she been saying rotten things about you to that girl…. That you never wanted her…." Archie tutted.

"Let me get this straight… she's been lying to make herself feel better, to justify her actions… I always wanted that kid… But my parents, they wouldn't let me anywhere near her…. And then she gave the baby away, and, and she's blaming me for it!" Joel, almost roared, he couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had moved away, shortly after it had all come out about Ronnie, giving her child away.

"What's going on dad?" asked the boy who had just appeared at the door, "Why are you yelling? Did this man do something!" the boy glared at Archie…

"Reece…" barked Joel, in a fury, "Not now… go upstairs and get your home work done, we're having a private conversation…"

"It's alright…" smiled Archie, hoping to force Joel into making a decision, "We're all family here right…. Reece?" he asked, "Did you know that your dad, had a child with my daughter…. You have another sister, a big sister, how about that…."

"Is that true?" asked Reece, an expression of shock on his face, "Dad?" he quizzed his father.

"Yeh…" he muttered, giving Archie a look of distain… "She was adopted years ago….. It wasn't like I just abandoned her or anything… I'm not that kind of man…" Joel shook his head, trying to convince himself more than his son.

"Can we see her, she can come round for tea tomorrow…. has she got a car?" asked Reece hopefully, maybe if he had a big sister, he could stop having to be the one to do everything around the place, "Is she wanting a place to stay, cause I could have the attic…."

Archie smiled in satisfaction… Joel was a broken man… He might need his daughter to get him through the pain, to help with the children….. Taking Danielle away from Ronnie.

Please Review, I know the triplets idea, is a little weird. By the way, Joel doesn't know that it was Archie who insisted upon Ronnie giving the baby away…. Because by the time that decision was made, they were no longer allowed to see each other.


End file.
